Container having an inner slidable merchandise carrier



c. CJVATTER CONTAINER HAVING AN INNER SLIDABLE MERCHANDISE CARRIER June 10, 1947.

' Fi led Feb. 9, 1945 I INVENTOR 'C" I aJZZr Patented June 10, 1947 CONTAINER HAVING AN INNER SLIDABLE MERCHANDISE CARRIER Clifford C. Vatter, Louisville, Ky., assignor to The Bradley & Gilbert Company, Louisville,

Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application February 9, 1945, Serial No. 577,005

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to containers and is directed particularly to so-called slide cartons comprising an outer shell and an inner merchandise container which is extensible telescopically from the outer shell for a limited distance to expose the contents of the carton. The merchandise container interlocks with the outer shell to pre vent removal of the merchandise while exposure of the merchandise permits it to be examined, inspected and tested. Containers of this sort have found extensive usage in the merchandising of radio tubes, the exposure of the tube prongs from the carton enabling them to be inserted in the plug of a tube testing machine While the tube is locked against removal in the carton.

The present invention provides an improve- -ment in cartons of the general type shown in an earlier Vatter Patent No. 2,353,376, dated July 11, 1944, and is addressed particularly to the construction of the merchandise-containing slide;

member within which the merchandise is disposed and which, in turn, is interlocked within the outer'shell.

According to the Vatter patent a slide isconstructed in the form of an elongated strip having wings or flaps extending laterally therefrom in one or more pairs at those portions of the slide member through which themerchandise is exposed. The flaps form. feet through which a platform is provided to protect the merchandise during shipment by absorbing shocks. Insofar as usage is concerned the construction shown in the patent is eminently satisfactory, but the principal purpose of this invention has been to provide a slide carrier for the carton which is equally suitable for use but which may be fabricated with less paper waste and assembled with greater facility. v I v According to this invention a slide carrier is constructed in the form of an elongated strip devoid or substantially devoid of extensions or flaps projecting laterally beyond its general strip-like contour; one or more access openings are provided in foldable portions of the strip through which merchandise may be exposed for inspection or testing, and feet capable of providing a yieldable platform for the merchandise when it is disposed within the carrier are furnished by delineation of the material within the access openings. One or both of those portions of the slide carrier which form its ends when folded may be constructed in this manner. No flaps or projections extend beyond the sidewise edges of the strip and its width, therefore, corresponds to the crosswise dimension of the; outershell which is til to receive it. By virtu of this construcfon paper waste is eliminated to the extent of 25% to 50% and fabrication is facilitated in that the carrier may be made by die cutting marginal portions of paper in continuous narrow strip form. In the present construction a greater number of the individual slide carriers may be printed and die cut from a sheet to reduce manufacturing cost, and the absence of substantial flaps and projections facilitates removal of the die cut carriers from the sheet. a

In the present carriers fold lines extending transversely of the strip and spaced apart from one another delineate therebetween a portion which forms an end of the carrier when it is set up. The material of this portion, within its confines, is severed appropriately to delineate one or more feet adapted to be bent laterally from the plane of configuration of the end portion of the carrier, while the bending of such material also furnishes an aperture through which the contents of the carton become accessible. Thus, the feet or legs for the slide carrier are formed from material within its general contours, not from material extending outwardly beyond it as in past constructions. It is also to be noted that this construction furnishes one or more feet which always tend to lie within the contours of the slide carrier after it has been set up to receive merchandise and therefore no flaps are present which must be held toward one another, as in the construction shown in the patent, before the carrier can be inserted in the carton.

Other advantages and further details of the construction are disclosed in the following detailed description of the drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the improvement is illustrated. From the foregoing principles of the inslide member is inserted in the shell after both have been set up. 7 7

Figure 4 is a vertical view of the assembled carton loaded, for example, with a radio tube, the

.slide member being positioned entirely within the shell.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 55 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the slide member extended from within the carton for exposure of the tube prongs to the plugof a tube testing machine.

It is to be :understoodzthattherefereneesiherein to the dispensing and packaging of radio tubes is by way of example and that the cartons of the invention may receive other types of merchan-- disc, as described in the aforesaid patent.

The outer shell (Figure 1) is form dr l om :8 blank which comprises side wall panels I l1, l2, l4 and I6 delineated by fold'hnes, and/a fifith panel l8 which is of somewhat *less--width than-the others but connected thereto. The panel "l'shas a tab extending from it :along a ifold .2;! and the material of the tab is severed to provide a slot 22 intermediate its ends.

In the particular construction illustrated, what may be termed the base of the shell is :designed to be left open, while at the top of panel M a *closure flap 2 3 is provided, fl-anked on either side --by supplemental flaps Z24 and 25 extending respectively =from panels 42 and it. If desirable tooth ends of theouter --shel1 may have such a closure. 7

The *blank from which the slide member 'is fashioned, as shown in Figu're 2, comprises-end wall portions 26 and-2'1. 21 are attached along'fold lines 2'8, 28 to a side -wal1portion-29 which has a locking member 30 attached to a longitudinal edge thereof for reception-within the slot 22 0f the outer shell. it

is to be noted that the sidewall portion is of "less width-than the end wall portions 26 and 21 andthat the locking member '30 extends laterally, with its longitudinal edge being substantially aligned the longitudinal edge of the endwiseportions' z ii and 2 1. The locking member is -de;lineated'| by cutting away marginal 'edgewise portions of the strip, and corners of the endwijse portions are cut off diagonally or rounded as at "31 for the-purpose efplear'ing the flap 2% of the outer shell'which-extends across a corner thereof'when the outer shell is'set up.

The detailsof coopenation of the locking 'memher with the slot to limit the extensibility'of the slide carrier withinthe outer shell are fully described and claimed in "Patent No. 2353;376 and are not repeated hereexcept to note that the slot 22 is delineated ibydie cutlines which do not cross but only approach one another so that the 'portionwithin-the die-cut lines is loosely left in place. The locking member displaces this loose malterial upon being introduced into the slot 22,

but should-the effort be made to tamper with the carton and remove its; contents without authorization then the loose material becomes disconnected and mutilated to evidence the effort.

Flaps 32 and 33 extend respectively beyond the endwise portions 25 and "21 of the strip. These flaps have cooperating notches 34 [through which they may 'be interlocked to form rasi d-e wall for the carrier opposite to sidewall portion 29.

In the form of carrier which is-shown in Figure 2 one end portion thereof, -26, has an opening35 while the other end portion '21 is configurated to provide-an opening bounded by feet as previously described. It will be understood that the latter construction maybe employed at both ends "of the carton if desirable. Inthe case of radio tubes for which the container illustnated is designed, the apertures in the end flaps cooperate The end -wa=l-ls 26 and .eentnaxl'portions to describe portionsof a circle,

'and in the preferred form, the'material also is severed transversely of the strip, as at 31, whereday two legs or feet 38 and 40 are delineated which ancspeetiyely may he folded laterally from the gzendwisemortion 21 of the carrier along fold line 28 and a fold line 4| at its opposite edge.

Figure .3 shows {the manner in which the legs areibendable outwardly to lie in planes substantially flush with the planes of the side Walls 29 land 2312, .63. viormation opens up the end wall 21 at the aperture 42 through which the prongsof a, radio tulbe may extend.

As shown in Figure 4 the bottom wall 21 is disposed inwardly of "the outer sheu while the "feet 38 sand lll bent outwardly tem iinate -from'fthe bottom wall at points substantially adjacent the --outer end of the shell to formsupports for the inner carrier whereby its firee 'movement is limited. "T he endwiseportion 21, heing weakened through the cutting out of its central *portion, forms a resilient-platform upon which the tube is rested. "This "platform absorbs 'sl'iocks and is most eli ect'ive in preventing rupture or damage to "the tube. The :tube at its opposite end in the form shown in Figure '2 is centrally confined at the aperture?! and is protected by theilapsit, 24 and 25 forming the end closure. Moreover, in the preferred nonstruction the member 30, engaging the :extremity of the slot '22,' -limits-the movement-ofthe slid'e'carrier so that if the carton is upside down the tube 'still is-free from con- "tact with the endwise'por'tion of the container. In this manner thetube resiliently is supported in =either direction.

Inthe use of the slide carrier'merchandise 'is placed conveniently upon the side wall 29 intermediate its end and :the endwise portions 26 and =21 'arethenbroughtup and tabs 32 and '33 are folded over the-merchandise-and interconnected. During such folding the end of the "merchandise presses upon the legs or "feet Stand 40 forcing 'them'outwardly from one another at the same time that the flapsfl. and 33 are being interlocked-together, whereby the 'end-aperture'isprepared and theiegs or feet are bent out in one operation rapidly and conveniently. Legs 38 "and 49 noweitherlie flush with the side walls 29 and .32, '33 of the carrier or are turned -'sli-ghtlyinwardly therefrom. 'jThe projection of the merchandise into the opening exposed loy 'the wings holds the legs in separated condition, and the carrier is introduced readily "into theouter shell without requiring extra manipulation :ofthe :le'gs.

.It "also is to be noted thatthe legs 38.niaybe bent outwardly ors'idewisely'irom the carton after the slide carrier has been extended therefrom so as toleave the contents of the .tube in a well .exposedlposi-tion. vThis :ieature is particularly adyantageous in the testing of radio tubes where prongs must be accessible for insertion in the test .As the carrier-is introduced into the shellwvith the :member :30rpmperly :aligned iorsengagement with :a slot 2 2 the mem'ber 3!) .is bent inwardly on a slight angle so that it may be disposed over the surface-of Ilap 29 until 'it reaches the slot position and becomes locked in the outer shell.

Having described my invention, I claim:

A slide carton comprising an outer shell and a merchandise-containing member slidably received therein, said merchandise-containing member comprising an elongated strip having portions thereof foldable with respect to one another to form a rectangular box having side walls and end walls disposed to embrace the respective sides and, ends of an article of merchandise, and lines of severing within the confines of at least one endwise portion of said rectangular form delineating portions which are bendable outwardly to constitute extended legs projecting beyond the said endwise portion and also to thereby provide an opening in said merchandise-containin REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,353,376 Vatter July 11, 1944 2,368,753 Elliott et a1 Feb. 6, 1945 2,125,716 Golisane Aug. 2, 1938 1,039,026 Carter Sept. 17, 1912 

